


One Summer is All it Took

by CatEyesCaro



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst with a Happy Ending, Developing Relationship, Family Drama, Family Issues, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Summer Vacation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:53:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27082960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatEyesCaro/pseuds/CatEyesCaro
Summary: Magnus needed a break from how his life was going. In the summer before his senior year of college, he ends up staying with Clary at her beach house in Idris. He meets someone there that he didn’t expect, someone that he falls for in every way imaginable.
Relationships: Clary Fray/Jace Wayland, Magnus Bane & Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 13
Kudos: 40





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I started this story a long time ago and recently decided to keep going. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> I wanted to write a fully formed story from Magnus's perspective therefore Alec will not be present for a few chapters, although he is still mentioned quite a bit. I think it'll be worth the wait though, if you still want to give the story a chance.

Magnus walked over to his dresser in his apartment in Brooklyn and opened all the drawers. His eyes wandering over all the clothes pushed into the tiny overfilled spaces. Most of which would remain in their spots until he came back at the end of the summer. He’d likely need to do some shopping for some beachwear when he got there.

As a born and raised city boy his wardrobe didn’t exactly cater to the ocean. He grabbed a few pairs of shorts and a few shirts that he wanted to bring and shoved it into the bag on his bed.

He pushed the nearly filled bag over to the side and flopped down onto his bed to gaze at the ceiling. He had been waiting for this trip for weeks now ever since Clary had asked him to stay with her at her beach house in Idris for the summer and now it was finally time, she was going to pick him up at 8 AM tomorrow morning.

Magnus had begun to feel suffocated in his life at the end of this semester, he was so stressed out that all his friends had noticed. And Clary just happened to be the one to take pity on him and let him know that sometimes a change of scenery is all you need to get out of a bad place. Magnus was more thinking along the lines of a new girlfriend or boyfriend to help change things but he knew that wouldn’t be so easy.

Camille Belcourt had been in his life now for about a year, they had met last summer and dated throughout all of junior year. When things got rough, which was most of the time nowadays, he always tried to remember early on in their relationship when things were good.

And they were really good, they’d stay on the phone for hours before falling asleep, spend all weekend together wrapped up in bed, and push each other’s creativity to another level. Why couldn’t things have stayed like that? What happened that made her change so much in such a short amount of time? His friends had come to the conclusion that she was just pure evil but Magnus was really hoping that wasn’t the case. 

Magnus rolled off the bed when the timer in the kitchen went off. He ran to the stovetop and opened the pot lid. The steam from the boiling liquid hit his nostrils with a punch. The aroma from the soup was perfect, it had just enough spice, a little citrus smell to it, and a small whiff of cinnamon. It instantly reminded him of his mother, she made this broth often knowing it was her son’s favorite.

Making it himself just wasn’t the same, but it made him feel like she was watching down on him so he loved to cook the things that she used to make for him. He put the finishing touches on the dinner and went back into the bedroom to get ready for his date with Camille.

Magnus was finishing setting the table when he heard the keys in the lock. Every time he heard that sound a chill ran down his spine, he regrets every day giving a key to his apartment to her. She walked in carrying a bunch of shopping bags and set them down in the entryway.

“Hi, baby,” Camille called out from the entry. “You’ll never believe what I picked up today, I got the new Versace boots!”

Magnus walked over to greet her with as good of a smile as he could muster on his face, “Hi, darling. Now let me take a good look at those.”

Camille smiled and lifted up her sundress revealing a breathtaking pair of thigh-high boots underneath. Magnus had to admit that they looked incredible on her. Camille was always able to get her hands on the best and newest in fashion. Her mother was the senior editor at Alicante which was the largest fashion magazine in the world.

“Beautiful, just beautiful,” Magnus muttered as he leaned in for a kiss.

Magnus had just barely touched her lips when she pulled away and walked towards the kitchen. He didn’t exactly know when it had happened in their relationship but all physical contact was always ever initiated by her. And he hated how it made him feel like he was unwanted and undesirable. He lingered in the entry for another minute to collect himself before heading in to join her.

He was really hoping that this would be one of the last meals they would ever share together. This was his chance to break away from her, all he needed to do was be brave enough to do it. Magnus had taken all of two bites of his soup before the dinner went south.

“Ugh, God,” Camille shouted dropping her spoon in the bowl and shoving it away from her. She turned to face him, “Honey, if you are going to make the effort to cook then it has to be better than this or it’s not really worth your time.”

Magnus’s jaw dropped slightly. The soup had come out just like he wanted it to. He knew arguing with her would only make it worse but he couldn’t help himself.

“Really? I love it. In fact, my mom…” Magnus had attempted to respond but was quickly cut off.

“I’m telling you it’s inedible. You trust my opinion, don’t you?” Camille curtly interrupted.

Magnus took a small pause to breath, “Of course, I trust your opinion. I just think maybe we have different palates then.”

“Well, I’m ordering pizza,” Camille scoffed as she took out her phone and opened an App for delivery.

Magnus was hoping that his face wasn’t showing how hurt he was feeling inside. He simply nodded and smiled at her as he watched her order food. He knew he shouldn’t be so upset about this, it was only food. But it was also one of the last connections he had of his mother and when he attempted to even share that with Camille she couldn’t have been bothered to listen.

After dinner, they had taken their wine glasses over to the couch to relax. Magnus was trying to keep the conversation as light as possible. They had already fought over his summer plans many times before and he was hoping to avoid that tonight. They sat in silence for a while before Camille leaned forward to place her glass on the coffee table.

“So, are we really going to just pretend like you aren’t leaving tomorrow? Because I’m surprised that you haven’t once mentioned how much you are going to miss me this summer,” Camille argued.

Magnus knew this was his chance if he was going to end things. “Well, you haven’t exactly been supportive of me going so I didn’t want to bring it up again.”

“Supportive? Are you kidding Magnus? What am I, your life coach? I just don’t think a man needs to go live on the beach for 3 months to find himself.”

“You know I am going so that I can sketch without all the distractions of the city,” he said with a big gulp.

“If you really thought that you had any real talent then you wouldn’t have to escape your normal life in order to get your designs down on a page,” Camille snapped back.

“I believe in my talent, and I thought you did too? Listen, Camille about this summer…” Magnus muttered as he looked down at the floor not ready to face her cold eyes.

Camille stood from her place on the couch, “I do believe in you, I can’t believe you would even say that. I think you’re just having like an internal crisis or something, always being so insecure. Let’s just see what you come up with at the end of the summer and we’ll see if you have what it takes.”

Magnus instantly looked up at her. He was very confused by her comment. “What do you mean by that?”

He saw something in her eyes that he didn’t like. “I’m just saying that maybe you aren’t Alicante material.”

And there it was. Magnus felt his heart fall out of his chest at that moment. “Camille, I was already offered an internship for senior year. I’ve already proved that my work was worthy so I don’t know what you mean.”

Camille laughed, “Honey, you don’t think my mother doesn’t take my opinion as seriously as you should. So, I’m just saying that we’ll see.”

Magnus felt like he was going to vomit. Of all the awful things Camille has done to him, she had not once threatened to mess with his career. And now he felt as trapped as ever. He couldn’t break things off with her now, that would surely be the end of his fashion career before it even began. He didn’t know how long he had been sitting there staring at the floor until he saw Camille crouch down in front of him.

“Hey, you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and start taking this as motivation. You’ll thank me later, trust me.”

Camille moved to stand in front of him and started to walk back towards his bedroom door. Magnus saw the quick subtle change in her eyes from wicked to sultry. She pulled her sundress up and over her head and dropped it on the floor next to her. His eyes widened unintentionally as he noticed she wasn’t wearing any undergarments underneath. She turned and walked into the bedroom wearing only her new Versace boots. Magnus felt lower than he ever had before but he still stood to follow her in.


	2. Chapter 2

Magnus had more energy this morning than most, usually he’d need at least two cups of coffee to start the day but this morning he was simply too excited to require it. He was more than happy when he realized that Camille had snuck out early this morning without saying goodbye.

He couldn’t wait to get as far away from her as he could. He was flitting around the apartment doing last minute stuff to get ready to leave. He was attempting to be as quiet as possible but he knew he had failed when heard his roommate’s door creaking open.

“You know you suck at being quiet, right?” Raphael teased him as he stood in his doorway in boxers and a t-shirt.

Magnus swirled to face his friend, “I’m sorry, my dear. I’m trying to clean as best I can before I leave. God knows it’s going to get messy in here without me.”

Raphael walked across the living room to the kitchen and grabbed a mug from the shelf and headed towards the coffee machine. The expression he was wearing was not exactly a happy one.

Magnus felt terrible for leaving Raphael here by himself all summer long. Raphael didn’t like many people, and Magnus was one of the few people he opened up to, he was worried that his friend was going to be lonely while he was away. 

“Hey, are you sure you don’t want to sublet my room? I can easily pull the clothes out and they could just use the furniture already in there,” Magnus suggested.

He had brought this point up a few times over the last few weeks but Raphael had shot it down each time. He said he’d rather fork up the rent instead of having to deal with some stranger that he didn’t know. Magnus knew Raphael wouldn’t have any trouble with the finances, he was doing pretty well working at a financial firm in Manhattan. It was more the fact that he wouldn’t be completely alone when he came home at night, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“No way, Bane. You know I’m going to be fine here, right? I’m not a puppy in a hot car. Work has been really busy lately and I’ll come visit you in…wherever you’ll be,” Raphael explained.

Magnus giggled, “Idris, Raph. It’s called Idris. And yes, I expect a visit shortly. Clary said you are welcomed whenever, there are two extra rooms apparently for any visitors.”

Magnus’s phone pinged on the kitchen counter, he skipped over to see the message and squealed when he realized it was from Clary.

“Oh God, please no more screeching,” Raphael said as his hands up to his ears.

Magnus came forward and gave Raphael a big kiss on the cheek. “She’s here. I’m going to miss you so much. Promise me you’ll answer all my calls and there will be many.”

Raphael smirked at his best friend, “I promise, Magnus. Now go and have fun.”

Magnus grabbed his bags and headed for the door, excited to see what this summer had in store for him.


	3. Chapter 3

Magnus was smiling from ear to ear as he saw his fiery red-headed friend in the driver seat of her car. She waved enthusiastically from her spot and gestured towards the trunk for him to put her bags in. He quickly climbed into the car and gave her a big hug.

“Um… Magnus. I can’t breathe,” Clary exclaimed as her head was jammed into Magnus’s chest.

“Sorry, Biscuit. I’m just so happy to be starting our trip,” Magnus offered with tears in his eyes.

Clary reached forward to wipe the tears from his face. “You’ve been through a lot this year. This will be the perfect escape for you. I’m telling you, the town I grew up in has magical powers, it makes you forget all about the outside world.”

“That sounds wonderful, dear. Let’s do it.”

Magnus was so thankful to have a friend like Clary in his life. They had met each other in a chance encounter in a coffee shop awhile back and hit it off instantly. The tables had been crowded that day so Magnus had simply asked if he could share a table so he could enjoy his scone before running out the door. They got to talking for no more than 15 minutes and he ended up going to her art show that same night. Now they saw each other at least 2-3 times a week and both of them couldn’t even fathom it any other way. Clary knew Magnus like the back of her hand, he had confided in her about things that no one else knew, and he knew every detail about her life as well. Magnus never had any siblings, but to him, Clary was like a sister.

Magnus put his sunglasses on and flipped on the radio to his favorite station. He drummed lightly on his legs to the beat of a Shawn Mendes song. They had at least a 3-hour drive out to Idris so Magnus knew he needed to get comfy. Magnus couldn’t wait to see the town Clary spoke so highly about, Idris seemed like an amazing place. It was a small beach town right on the ocean, she told him about a quaint downtown with restaurants, shops and bars, and she made his mouth water with the description of a beach that would take his breath away.

“When are Jace and Izzy heading home?” Magnus asked.

“Jace said they’re leaving tomorrow morning super early so we should be able to get a beach day in with them tomorrow!” Clary explained.

“Oh and Simon is already home getting the house set up for us,” she added.

“Ah, yes. Can’t forget about Sheldon,” Magnus teased.

Magnus was looking forward to spending more time with Clary’s friends and getting to know them. Although Magnus and Clary loved their one on one time, Magnus started to join her when to all go out in the city together. She had been dating Jace Lightwood since middle school and she was madly in love with him. His sister, Isabelle was just as lovely. She had an eye for fashion and was always up for a shopping trip. Simon was Clary’s other best friend, and even though Magnus and he couldn’t be any more different, he still understood why Clary loved him. He was one of the most genuine people Magnus had ever come across. Simon’s family used to live in Idris when they were kids but they moved to the city when Simon left for college so he was going to be staying at the house with them as well.

“So, where are your parents on their travels now?” Magnus inquired.

Clary’s mother and stepfather were taking the summer off from work to travel. Magnus loved how after so many years together they still seemed to want to go on adventures with each other. It was also incredible that they just offered their house to Clary and her friends instead of renting it out for the summer, but Magnus was more than thankful for that.

“I think they’re in Spain or Portugal right now, or they might already be in Greece. I’m not actually sure. I just wait for the postcards to come and then I know where they are. I tried calling them the other day to catch up but they said they couldn’t talk because they were about to go scuba diving or something. They didn’t even call back for another 2 days!”

“Oh my god, they are so adorable. I want that with someone one day,” Magnus muttered.

“And you will, Magnus. I promise.”

“Speaking of… what ended up happening with Camille last night?

Magnus rolled his eyes, “Nothing that I wanted to happen,” he explained as he got into the story of how he didn’t end up break things off with Camille as he had hoped to. Magnus always liked to tell stories in great detail so it took him a while to get through it all.

“… and so, I basically ended up leaving things be for the sake of my career. Although I think I have officially lost any feelings I had left for Camille.”

Magnus couldn’t help but giggle at how angry Clary had gotten when he told her about the threats she had made against his career.

“I hate her! She is the worst, Magnus. Let’s make a deal that we just forget about her for as long as we can on this vacation. I don’t even want to hear her name!” Clary shouted.

“Deal, Biscuit. Now pull off so we can get something to eat, I’m starving!” he announced.


	4. Chapter 4

The drive had taken longer than they anticipated, after stopping for food they hit some traffic on the interstate. Luckily, they were in no rush, they knew they’d make it eventually and that they’d have all summer to make up the time spent driving. Magnus looked out the window as they drove up to the house.

His heart skipped a beat when he finally saw where he would be living for the next few months. The house looked like it belonged in a dream, it was huge with big white windows and a porch in the back. And the beach behind it was one of the most beautiful he had ever seen. It was nice and wide and completely uncrowded unlike most of the public beaches in New York. In Idris, the beach was reserved for residents therefore it was kept in pristine condition. All Magnus could hear as he got out of the car was the gentle crashing of waves.

Clary came around to his side of the car and leaned into his side, he quickly wrapped his arms around her.

“It truly is magical,” he simply stated.

After they unloaded the car, Magnus visited with Simon for a few minutes before he decided to go explore the house. Clary had told him to pick any of the remaining bedrooms, he picked a corner room with a gorgeous view of the ocean. It was farther from where Clary and Simon were rooming but the view was what caught his eye straight away, he knew this is where he wanted to stay.

Once he got his stuff put away in the closet and the bathroom he left his room to keep exploring. He could hear Clary and Simon laughing downstairs in the kitchen but he wanted to spend some time alone learning the house.

Little touches of Clary’s childhood were scattered about, there was even a doorway with all the markings of Clary’s height throughout the years written in marker. His eyes were quickly drawn to an office in which a wall was filled with pictures of their family. Magnus felt a twinge of jealousy looking over the photos, they looked so happy in each and every one of them, he wished he had that kind of family.

Magnus was about to turn back to head downstairs and join the others when he noticed a photo way over in the corner. Clary was likely 11 or 12 at the time, and she was sitting next to someone on the beach whom he was almost certain was Jace. He also spotted Simon right away sitting in the corner eating an ice cream cone.

But what really caught his eye was that Isabelle was clutching onto another boy for dear life trying to get away from the waves in the water. They looked so much alike that Magnus swore they could have been related. Magnus didn’t think the Lightwood’s had any other siblings but maybe he was wrong.

Clary had never mentioned anything and nothing had come up when he was out with them but he realized that he may have more to learn about his new friends than he thought. Clary called his name from the kitchen interrupting his thoughts so he closed the door and headed down.

“Hey,” Clary said excitedly when she saw him at the bottom of the stairs. “I’m making sandwiches for the beach tomorrow. What would you like?”

“You should have Clary’s chicken salad, it’s the bomb!” Simon added.

“Chicken salad it is then,” Magnus muttered as he sat down on the stool next to Simon.

The three sat around the island drinking some wine and chatting about their plans for the summer. Simon was going to work in the town library, Clary was going to teach a summer art class for kids at the rec center and Magnus was going to see about either a retail job or waiting tables a couple of times a week. Magnus and Simon had been debating their favorite movie pics for some time now when he realized that Clary was still going about making sandwiches.

“Wow! How many sandwiches are you making Clary?”

Clary giggled as she licked the spoon and dropped it into the sink. She had an assembly line of at least 20 sandwiches. It looked to be enough food to feed an entire party, let alone a few people at the beach tomorrow.

“Trust me, Jace can eat at least 5 of these and so can Simon. That only leaves a few for the rest of us. And you never know who will show up that might be hungry,” she explained.

“Yea and I think Maia is going to stop by in the afternoon. She also grew up with us all,” Simon said as he turned to explain to Magnus. “She actually lives here year-round studying marine biology, you’re gonna love her.”

“And if Alec and Max come then we’ll actually need more than I’ve already made,” Clary added.

Magnus perked up at the unfamiliar names, “Who are they?”

Clary looked up at him with a surprised look on her face, “Alec and Max? They’re the other Lightwoods. Surely you’ve heard me, or Jace or Izzy talking about them before?”

So there were more siblings in the Lightwood clan. If they were anything like Jace or Izzy, then Magnus knew that he would get along well with them.

“No, I don’t think they were ever mentioned to me. Do they live in the city?”

Clary and Simon gave each other a funny look before answering Magnus’s question. He wasn’t really sure what it meant but he didn’t want to ask because it looked too private.

“No, they both still live in Idris. Max is still in high school, I think he’s like 15 years old now and uh… Alec, he still lives in town too. He’s our age, he’s actually Izzy’s twin brother,” Simon explained.

“What! I can’t believe I didn’t know that Izzy had a twin brother. How did that never come up in conversation? What’s he like?” Magnus inquired. He was now sure that the sweet boy he had seen in the photo was Alec Lightwood.

Clary’s eyes looked a bit sad when she began to describe him, “Alec? Well, he’s on the quiet side, fiercely loyal and the most caring person I’ve ever met, he works construction and uh… yea that’s about it.”

Magnus couldn’t help but smile hearing his friend’s words. She only told him a few simple things about him and already Magnus was more than interested in meeting him.

“Well, that sounds promising. I can’t wait to meet them,” he replied.

Clary mustered a small smile in return before changing the subject completely. He wasn’t really sure if there was more to the story than what they were sharing but he didn’t really think it was his place to ask. Magnus knew he’d likely learn more about the story this summer so he decided to just wait it out for now and look forward to tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

The sun in Magnus’s room was perfect in the morning. He rolled over onto his back and stretched his arms out above him, he kept his eyes tightly shut trying to savor a few more minutes of rest. The sounds around him were so different than those of his apartment in Brooklyn, no car horns or bus engines, instead just the soothing sound of waves crashing and birds chirping.

Magnus headed downstairs towards the kitchen hoping there would be coffee brewing, but he was shocked to see that he was probably the first to rise that day. Seeing as he didn’t know how to use the coffee machine yet he decided to venture into town in hopes of finding a café.

Clary had told him yesterday to feel free to use any of the bikes in the garage, so he chose a blue one that was probably Luke’s by the size of it. The ride into town was easy, and in no time at all, he started seeing shops and restaurants lined down both sides of main street. He found an adorable diner and ordered himself a latte and croissant.

As we waited for his order he couldn’t help but love the vibe of this place. There was a small open window to the kitchen that looked into the line cook. The man behind it was whistling happily as he flipped the pancakes on the griddle. And the woman behind the counter was greeting almost every customer by their first name.

Magnus had meant to take a look around town this week before deciding where to apply, but this place just felt perfect to him, it was exactly what he was looking for. Once he was handed his latte, he knew he wanted to ask about a job.

“I’m Magnus, by the way,” he said with a big smile on. “I’ll be in town for the summer, and was wondering if you were looking for any extra help. I’ve got good experience, I manned the counter at a diner in Brooklyn for almost 4 years as one of my first jobs,” he explained.

The woman smiled, “Well, Magnus you’ve come to the right place then. I’d love to employ a young man with as sweet a smile as you. I’m Abby, it’s lovely to meet you. I am looking for someone part-time. Are you any good with coffee drinks?”

Magnus nodded in confirmation. One thing, he always excelled at was his caffeine intake. “Oh yes, I’d say I’m a caffeine expert,” he joked.

Abby giggled, “Well, why don’t I go grab an application. Can you start on Tuesday?”

“Yes, mam. Tuesday is great.”

It had only taken him a few minutes to return the paperwork and say goodbye to Abby. Afterward, he took his order to the curb and sat down to enjoy his breakfast. As he was about to take his first bite, his eye caught something that piqued his interest across the street. A white truck parked in front of a hardware store that had the words Lightwood Homes Inc. printed on it in large black letters. Magnus couldn’t help but wonder if this belonged to the elusive Lightwood brother than he had just come to know about. Magnus had stayed in his spot longer than needed after finishing breakfast hoping he’d catch a glimpse of the owner but they never came out, so he decided to give up his curiosity and head back home.

When Magnus arrived back at the house things were much livelier than when he had left. Everyone was up and about and Jace and Isabelle had arrived from the city. The siblings ran up and gave him a big hug when they noticed him in the kitchen.

“Magnus! I’m so happy you are here. We are going to have so much fun this summer,” Izzy exclaimed with a huge smile on her face. “I’m finally going to have someone to go shopping.”

“Hey man, welcome to Idris,” Jace announced next. “Did you head into town this morning?”

“I am so happy to be here too Iz. This place is beautiful! And yes, I couldn’t believe I was the first one up so I went for a bike ride to find coffee. Found a really cute place in the center of town called Abby’s Place, I even asked the owner for a position.” By the look on everyone’s faces, his find was probably a very well-known establishment in town.

“I cannot believe you are going to work there! I think we’ve all taken a turn working there at some point. Abby is the best. Did you tell her you were staying with me?” Clary asked.

“No, I hadn’t realized the connection or I would have mentioned it. She was pretty quick to hire me anyway though, said she liked my smile,” he boasted.

Simon chimed in after overhearing the conversation, “And you didn’t bring us back scones!” he added.

Magnus instantly felt bad, he had planned on bringing back pastries for the group and then completely forgot. He was so pre-occupied with finding out who owned the truck he had forgotten all about the others. 

“That’s my bad, darlings. I swear I intended too,” Magnus said as he tried to plead his case. He turned to Izzy and Jace sitting in the kitchen and added, “You know, I actually got distracted because of a Lightwood Homes truck that was parked across the street. I kept waiting to see who would get in it but they never came out of the hardware store.”

He noticed Jace and Izzy glance at each other before they started a side conversation that Magnus didn’t fully understand.

“See, Iz. I told you he’d already be working when we got here! Max said he basically works every Saturday now,” Jace said to his sister with an annoyed expression on his face.

“Well, it’s not like there’s much we can do about it, Jace. At least it gets them both out of the house more,” Izzy said with a sad look on her face.

Magnus hadn’t meant for his comment to stir something up between them. He didn’t want to get in the middle of it but felt the need to apologize. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to start something.”

“Oh gosh, no Magnus. You didn’t start anything, we’re sorry if we made you feel like that. It’s just stuff going on with our family,” Izzy explained.

It looked like Izzy was about to explain what she meant, but the moment was interrupted by Clary who told everyone to go get their swimsuits on for the beach. Magnus was happy that the tension seemed to easily dissipate as he headed up to his room to get ready.

Magnus didn’t pick his tightest swim trunks for the first go on the beach. He wasn’t sure how much of himself the people of Idris could handle quite yet. He decided to go with an understated look with black and white shorts. He also made sure to apply sunblock before heading downstairs. He never had a problem getting tanned but knew how to build a good base for the whole summer so he wouldn’t burn his skin. When he made his way downstairs, he noticed an almost empty house awaited him.

“I stayed behind so I could show you the path, everyone else went ahead to start getting set-up,” Isabelle explained as she grabbed a couple of towels and beach bag and headed towards the door.

Magnus followed along behind her with his own beach stuff in hand. He always loved being in the sun and was looking forward to being outside as much as possible this summer. He had already found several good sketching spots around the property of Clary’s home that he couldn’t wait to get to. The short, narrow path had beautiful waving green seagrass on each side of it. His feet instantly warmed in the hot sand beneath them. The group had set-up in a semicircle down by the water, Jace and Simon were already out swimming in the waves.

“This is beautiful, Biscuit. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better summer,” he muttered as he came up behind Clary to give her a hug.

“I want this to be the best summer ever, Magnus,” she said in a whisper as they both looked out at the ocean.

The group was having a blast. Magnus knew he wanted to test the waters right away so he and Clary had been jumped right in and stayed there for what felt like hours. He had always enjoyed swimming, he would often go to the ocean with his mom in the summer and spend all day there together. Being here this summer was definitely making him feel closer to her, his heart felt warmer than it had been in a while back in the city with Camille.

As they made their way back to shore, Clary ran ahead to give a big hug to someone who had joined their group as they were swimming. Magnus grabbed his towel to dry off as he waited to be introduced.

“Come meet, Maia! She lives up the street from us with her boyfriend Jordan.”

Magnus smiled and introduced himself. He could instantly tell he would like Maia, she seemed to have a no-nonsense attitude and was very easy to talk to. And although Magnus couldn’t keep up with all the conversation as the group caught up with her, she would often loop him into the conversation by asking him questions about himself.

“… yeah we’re doing alright, had to sell one of our cars for the fall’s tuition. Last semester killed us, I had to complete an unpaid internship so I couldn’t really work, it was a hard few months with rent and stuff but it’ll be much better when I finish up this semester,” Maia confessed.

Maia looked towards Magnus, “I’m gonna finish up school a semester early so I can start looking for work right away. It made for a busy junior year but I think it’ll be worth it to finish faster.”

Magnus gave her a small nod in understanding. Since his mother’s passing, he tried as much as possible to distance himself from his father, which included being financially independent. The more money he took from his father the more it would connect them so Magnus had applied to any and every scholarship that he came across and had actually come up with most of the funds for his schooling.

Maia turned to the Lightwoods, “Actually guys, I need to thank Alec, the next time I see him, he has been so good to Jordan. He always checks in to see if he wants the OT shifts, I don’t think we’d be okay if it weren’t for that extra income.”

“I’m sure he’s happy to help Maia. You know Alec,” Jace replied.

“Absolutely! When I called him on our Birthdays, he said that Jordan was taking him out for a drink that night. It sounds like they’re getting to be good friends,” Izzy added.

Maia giggled, “Yeah your right. The two couldn’t be more different but they somehow work as friends. Jordan told me he had offered to bring Alec to a gay bar that night but he turned him down, said he was fine with O’Malley’s. I think he didn’t want to be too far from home so he could leave right away when Max decided to head home from a friend’s house.”

As soon as Maia finished talking, Magnus watched again as the expressions on Jace and Izzy’s face changed at Maia’s words. There was definitely something going on with the Lightwood siblings that Magnus wasn’t aware of. Something that seemed to be very serious.

He was so worried about what had made them become so upset that he had almost missed the most interesting part of what she had just said. “Wait, your brother is gay?” he asked curiously.

Maia’s eyes immediately widened, “Oh my god, what is wrong with me! Please tell me I didn’t just out your brother. I am so sorry,” she exclaimed as she hid her face in her hands.

Isabelle quickly intervened, “No Maia, your fine. Alec is fully out of the closet now. He was tired of it, he said he rather be able to completely be himself instead of stay hidden forever. Besides, it’s not like it made a difference, Dad hated him just as much before…”

But before Isabelle could finish her thought, Jace had interrupted her. “That’s enough, Iz. Now you’re bringing up shit that Alec would never want to be aired out in public like this,” he scolded.

Isabelle huffed in response as she got up from her spot in frustration, “Um… it’s not a secret Jace. Everyone here knows what Alec has to go through on a daily basis. I’m sorry if you want to try and pretend that it doesn’t exist,” she retorted as she stormed away down the beach with Simon hot on her heels to try and help calm her down.

Clary moved closer to Jace and began rubbing soothing circles on his back. Magnus watched as she whispered something in his ear, he nodded in return and they quickly changed the subject to something much lighter.

Magnus tried his best to stay engaged in the new conversation. Isabelle had come back with a smile on her face and they began to play a silly drinking game with the cards they had brought with them. And although he had a beer in his hand and was participating, his mind was still stuck on their previous topic of conversation.

There had been so much packed into such a short exchange but Magnus already knew that Alec Lightwood was an amazing individual, someone who has to overcome many obstacles in his life. He could only hope that he would meet him soon, he was so intrigued by him even though he had yet to meet him.


	6. Chapter 6

Magnus spent his Sunday morning with his head buried deep in his sketchbook. In the past few months, he had really struggled with finding inspiration. He knew that it was likely due to the toxic person he surrounded himself with and only hoped that this summer would allow him the clarity he needed. A part of him still regretted how he had left things with Camille before he left. She had texted him a few times since he left, and he was not proud to say that he had texted her back each time. 

The porch overlooking the ocean had the most beautiful chair swing to spread out in. Magnus moved a pillow behind his back and had his legs kicked out in front of him. All he could hear was the waves rolling in and his friends laughing from the kitchen. He didn’t even know how long he had been out there until he heard the front door opening behind him. 

Clary came towards the swing and picked up Magnus’s legs to take a seat beneath them as she replaced them back on top of her lap. “Simon and I are headed to the grocery store. We invited everyone over for Sunday dinner so we need to get enough pasta to feed a small army. Do you want to come with?”

Magnus smiled and shook his head, “I’ll stay here if that’s alright. My hands haven’t been able to sketch this freely in a long time,” he explained. Clary quickly stood up from the swing and moved back towards the house leaving Magnus in peace.

He wondered who she meant by “everyone.” Magnus had a feeling that their group of friends was a very tight-knit group. One that was so genuine and family-like, he couldn’t help but feel lucky to have met them all.

Magnus had sketched all day long, his only breaks included food and the bathroom. His position however moved throughout the landscape as he tried to take in the different surroundings that the beautiful beach house had to offer.

He finally stopped once he heard Clary and Simon clanging pots and pans around in the kitchen. Although he was never going to be considered a good cook, he knew he could at lead help in some small way.

The amazing aroma of Italian food hit him hard in the face the minute he opened the front door to head into the kitchen. He breathed it in as deeply as he could, “Biscuit, that smells heavenly,” he complimented.

Clary giggled, “All Si actually… he has the talent when it comes to cooking.”

“Thank you, thank you,” Simon responded dramatically as he gave a bow. “Got it from my grandma.”

Magnus asked what he could do to help and got to work cutting up vegetables for Simon so that he could focus on the sauce. The three of them got into a good rhythm in the kitchen. Magnus couldn’t remember the last time he had this much fun cooking, he tried not to think about the disaster of a night when he made Camille his mom’s soup.

Eventually, everything was either in the oven or simmering on the stove so there wasn’t much more to prep so he ran upstairs to get ready for their company. Magnus wasn’t exactly sure who he should be expecting so he wanted to look nice for any occasion. As he put the finishing touches on his look he could hear more voices downstairs signaling that others had arrived.

He quickly rushed downstairs and was greeted by a smiling Maia who then introduced her boyfriend. “Magnus, this is Jordan.”

“Hey man,” he mumbled stoically.

Magnus smiled, “It’s nice to meet you Jordan. Maia tells me you work in construction?” He added to spark the conversation.

Jordan seemed to mumble when he spoke but Magnus caught on quickly and realized that he could really open up if he stuck to subjects that interested him.

Magnus would need more wine if he was to listen to talk about cars and motorcycles all night so he grabbed another bottle of red and poured himself a generous glass. Just as he took the first sip, more people entered through the front door.

Isabelle had on a gorgeous blue sundress and was talking to a younger boy on her left wearing a backward baseball cap. The boy was definitely in an awkward stage of growing but still towering over his sister in height. He was too young looking to be her twin so Magnus knew right away he must be looking at Max Lightwood.

“Max, this is Magnus. He’ll be staying for the summer,” Isabelle gestured to between them.

“Pssst… you actually came here willing?” the boy joked. “I’m outta here a soon as I graduate.”

Magnus had been the same way about the town he grew up in. By the time he was eighteen, he couldn’t wait to leave home so he understood where Max was coming from. “Well, you sound like you’ve already made up your mind. When’s graduation?” He questioned.

“Not for another two years,” he grumbled dramatically as he plopped himself down on the couch. Magnus was about to appease the boy further when Clary interrupted.

“Where’s Jace and Alec?” she asked Izzy and Max.

“He’s over at the Piedmont’s place finishing up a kitchen remodel. I guess one of the guys put the wrong tile in on Friday so Mrs. Piedmont freaked out and wanted it changed over the weekend,” Max explained.

“I told him he should tell that snob to just shove it but he didn’t want to take my advice,” he added smugly.

Izzy slapped her brother’s shoulder, “Max... leave Alec alone, he’s doing his best,” she stated.

Izzy cleared her throat, “Anyway, I sent Jace over to help him get it done quicker so that he won’t miss dinner.”

Jordan let out a laugh, “Ha… I’m sorry but Jace does not have the knack for construction, doubt he’ll be able to help Alec get it done any faster.” He stood and grabbed his keys from Maia’s bag, “I’ll go over,” he added as he moved his way towards the door.

Alec Lightwood always seemed to be working whenever he came up in conversation. Magnus knew that builders often made their own schedules so he hoped this was just the way Alec preferred it.

The group sat around the living room for about another hour or two awaiting the rest of the group. Magnus had not realized how hungry he was getting until the bottle of wine he had been drinking really seemed to go straight to his head. He stood up and walked outside to the porch for some fresh air when he heard Jace’s voice from the driveway. “Come on, Alec. Jordan said he’s got it… stop feeling bad and get out of the truck,” he said firmly.

Magnus knew they couldn’t see him from where they stood but he stayed silent anyway. The door to the truck open and all he could make out was a tall, slender but sculpted shape of a man.

“I know… I just it was my fuck up… I should have never let him work on Friday. I wasn’t planning on leaving the job site but then I got a call from another site so I couldn’t stay and watch him do the tile.”

Jace leaned forward to put his hands on either side of the man’s shoulder, “Hey… it is not your job to follow Dad around all day and keep him from fucking up. If he wants to come to work drunk out of his mind then that’s his business. You got to stop taking on every little thing as your own, brother. Eventually it’ll be too much.”

Magnus watched as the man he now knew to be Alec Lightwood shake his head in defeat to his brother. He instantly felt guilty watching this tender moment between them so he snuck back inside to join the others.

Only a few moments after he rejoined the others, the brothers finally walked through the doors. Clary ran towards them and completely ignored her boyfriend in favor of Alec, “Hi!! I missed you so much,” she exclaimed softly as she engrossed him in a huge hug.

Magnus sat frozen in his seat as he watched their reunion. The first thing he noticed was how absolutely gorgeous he was and the second was how gently he handled Clary as if not to break her. “I’m sorry I’m such a mess,” he stated to Clary as he backed away to show her the state of his work clothes.

“Stop… I don’t care at all,” she muttered happily as she grabbed onto Jace’s hand. “We’re just happy you came.”

Clary pulled them towards the table so that dinner could get started. Magnus was hoping he’d get a chance to sit next to Alec, he’d been waiting to meet him all weekend so he quickly grabbed the chair across from him.

Alec looked up at him gingerly the moment he sat down. He cleared his throat, “I’m Alec… you must be Magnus,” he said as he reached his hand out.

Magnus nodded, “It is lovely to meet you, Alec. I love your family, it’s nice to finally meet all of you at once. I still can’t believe you and Isabelle are twins, you do look alike but, I mean your height for instance…” he muttered.

“Iz always said that you stole all her height in the womb,” Simon blabbed from the end of the table.

The whole group laughed at Simon’s bizarre outburst. Magnus watched as Alec’s cheeks reddened. “And thank you, Simon. Not weird at all,” he muttered.

As soon as the food was passed around, Magnus found himself just sitting back quietly to listen and observe. He hoped Alec wasn’t noticing but he was having a hard time not staring at the elusive Lightwood brother. He had the most beautiful features, his eyes were so expressive even though his face seemed to give nothing away.

Alec had filled his plate to the brim with food. Even if he looked as if he was eating for four people, he seemed to have good manners and was eating slowly as he would stop to engage in the conversation around him.

“… I mean I’m hoping I’ll get to start next year. Our star-pitcher graduated this year and there aren’t really any Juniors that are better than me so I think I got a good shot.” Max explained to the group as he talked about playing baseball. “Alec and I… we throw at least a few times a week, sometimes more, so I get more practice than the other guys.”

Alec smiled at his brother, “That’s right. If we keep up your training then you’ll have a great shot.” Magnus couldn’t help but think how much Alec sounded like a Dad when he talked to Max, maybe it had to do with what Jace and Alec were discussing outside but it was definitely an interesting dynamic.

“Did you tell Iz and Jace the good news?” Alec asked his brother.

Max was definitely spirited when it came to baseball. “Oh no! I forgot. I’m starting a club league next weekend through the summer. I’ll have a team and games and everything,” he explained animatedly.

“That’s great Max,” Jace exclaimed. “Wow can’t believe you got dad to go for that.”

Max’s eyes fell towards his plate, “Oh well…um… Alec’s actually paying for it.”

Jace had a look of anger and embarrassment on his face as if he should have known. The group had all grown quiet as they didn’t really know what to say next.

Magnus watched as Alec shifted in his seat, “Hmmm… his first game is actually June 10th if you guys want to come,” he explained in hopes of shifting the mood. It’s a smaller team than the high school so he’ll definitely be pitching.”

Jace stilled looked a bit effected but answered lightly, “Yeah…of course, Max. I’ll definitely be there…. Alec, why don’t you let me pay you back for some of it… I don’t mind chipping in,” Jace muttered.

“It’s fine, It’s already done… we signed up back in April, way before you guys were even home,” Alec explained sternly.

The conversation quickly went back to lighter topics thanks to Simon who again entertained the group with some outrageous comment of his. Although the Lightwood siblings seemed to ease back into the conversation, Magnus could still detect the subtle lines of tension in their faces.

After dinner, Magnus was sure he’d eaten way more pasta than he’d meant too. He sat back on the couch in a food coma as he rubbed his painted fingernail around the bottom of his wine glass. He was in such a daze he barely realized that someone had come up behind him until he heard a soft but deep voice.

“I like that color,” Alec gestured as he took a seat in the chair beside him, holding a beer in his left hand. “I mean on your nails that is,” he clarified.

Magnus immediately perked up, excited that Alec and he were about to speak for the first time alone. “Thank you, dear. It’s called black magic, just the right amount of sparkle but still dark.”

Alec smirked. Magnus could tell he had no clue what he was talking about and was surprised that he engaged him any. “Hmm… well it’s very pretty. Do you do them yourself?” he asked, obviously meaning his nails.

Magnus couldn’t help but chuckle. Alec appeared to be just the opposite of someone who’d be asking about his nails. He wore a checkered flannel that was covered in paint and sawdust, dark jeans, and very large work boots, and yet he seemed so genuine in his questions. “Yes, I do actually… it’s one of my favorite things to do when I need to relax. The whole world seems to disappear for those 30 minutes.”

“That…uh… sounds nice. I think I know what you mean… I kind of feel like that when I’m surfing,” Alec explained.

Magnus continued to swirl his finger around the bottom of his wine glass, he wasn’t sure when he switched into flirting mode but once he knew Alec liked the motion he decided to exaggerate it. “I’ve always wanted to learn how to surf. It looks like so much fun, although I’m sure the wiping out, in the beginning, is a bit tough,” Magnus offered, hoping that Alec might take a hint at what he was getting at.

Alec shifted in his seat, “It's…um… not too bad. I mean as long as you’re a good swimmer and can battle the waves.” His eyes dropped a bit as if he wasn’t quite sure what he was going to say next,” I…We could go out some time together. Max has a longboard that would be good to learn on.”

Magnus shuddered a little as Alec muttered the word “go out”, even if he knew that wasn’t what he meant, he could only hope that maybe things would progress to that one day. “I’d love that, darling.”

Magnus could tell that Alec was beginning to relax more as his body leaned back into his chair. The second his head hit the back of the chair, his eyes closed for a moment as if by their own volition.

And it was at that moment, Magnus truly saw how exhausted a man was sitting in front of him. The subtle dark circles under his eyes were beginning to really show. Magnus didn’t want to over-step but he couldn’t help but say something. “You look tired... would you like some tea or coffee?”

Alec’s eyes snapped open as he propelled his torso off the chair. “Hmm… I’m sorry… my eyes are just getting tired. I’m an early riser… so it’s about my bedtime,” he explained with a hint of pink on his cheeks.

“No need to explain, darling. It sounds like you had a busy day,” he added.

A short while later, Max nudged his brother’s shoulder to ask him to go back home so that he could play video games. Alec instantly agreed and said his goodbyes to everyone. His and Magnus’s eyes met for a moment before he left, it was mere seconds but enough for Magnus to know that they were building a connection.

Everyone quickly began to turn in one by one as the first weekend of the summer finally caught up with their energy levels. That left Magnus and Clary to clean up the rest of the mess that they’d made.

“Biscuit, can I ask you something?” Magnus paused to see what kind of mood his friend was in. Clary was sometimes so hyper that it wasn’t a good time to ask her serious questions.

“Mhmm, of course,” she said softly as she continued to dry the dishes in the clean pile.

Magnus took a deep breath and turned his frame towards her, “What’s the deal with the Lightwoods? I mean I’ve been here all of two days and I can tell there is something big going on.”

Clary lifted her head instantly, this particular subject definitely caused her to pause. “Um… well it’s a long story. Let me text Jace quick and make sure he’s okay with me talking about it. I don’t think they’ll mind you knowing but I’d feel awful if I told and they did,” she explained.

Magnus knew exactly where she was coming from. He’d never want to betray a friend, so all he could do was hope for an answer in his favor.

It only took a few minutes before Clary’s phone chirped. She grabbed it to read the message and instantly started to chuckle, “This is what Jace had to say…” she said with a smile as she looked Magnus’s way.

“Tell Magnus he is one of us know. Welcome to the inner workings of our fucked up family,” Clary read from Jace’s text.

Magnus chuckled as well, Jace could be so stoic sometimes that it was hard to read him, it was nice for Magnus to know that Jace felt like he could be trusted. He moved to the couch and gestured for Clary to join him. “So… spill,” he asked.

Clary grabbed her glass of wine before joining him. She snuggled up close to him as she began. “Well… you obviously know that Jace was adopted, right?” She started with.

“Of course, Blondie could never pass off as biological Lightwood,” he responded.

“Jace’s dad and Robert Lightwood were best friends. They’re both alcoholics and spent most nights together at the local pub until closing time. That was… until Jace’s dad didn’t make it back home one night. He died in a car crash, wrapped the car around a tree. Luckily he didn’t bring anyone down with him but the tree,” she explained.

Magnus shifted up as he began to realize the gravity of the story he was being told. “Sounds like my father… although he always seems to find a way to appear put together.”

Clary nodded in agreement. Magnus had confided in Clary from basically the first moment they had met, she knew all his deepest secrets about his family.

“Jace went to live with the Lightwoods after that. He was the same age as Izzy and Alec and Max was still just a toddler. He was so used to dealing with his own dad that he fit right in with the siblings. Robert Lightwood can be a mean drunk most of the time, but between the three of them, they could take it. If Robert would lay into one of them, the other two would step in to defend them or be there for support when it was over. The three of them survived for years by leaning on each other,” Clary explained.

Magnus smiled, “I’m glad they all had each other. You can tell actually…how close they are… they always seemed to be having secret conversations with one another when everyone is around.”

Clary chuckled, “Yeah, their bond is definitely strong. Myself and Simon kind of added ourselves to their circle of trust as the years went on. We couldn’t really relate to them as my parents have never been anything but loving, but it was nice to become a part of their mini family.”

“So why does there seem to be friction now?” Magnus asked as he tried to piece together the remaining parts of the story.

“It’s not really friction,” Clary explained. “It’s more frustration that they can’t change their circumstances. It was senior year when they began to realize they wouldn’t be able to just leave Max with their mother and father. Maryse Lightwood is not a bad mom, but she also doesn’t do much to prevent her husband from the emotional and at times physical abuse he acts upon his children. And because of that, they made a plan. A plan that they all agreed on, despite the fact that it kills Jace sometimes.”

Magnus shifted again, “What plan, Biscuit?”

Clary looked up at him, she wasn’t crying but her eyes beginning to have that glassy look to them. “The one where Alec stays behind with Max. The one where he puts his entire life on hold for his brother. Alec made sure that Jace and Izzy would both go to colleges of their choice and begin their lives while he stayed behind. Alec had dreams of becoming an architect one day and know he’s home basically running his father’s construction business with just a carpenter’s wages. Robert takes all the credit for Alec’s work even though he leads most of the projects.”

Magnus huffed out a deep breath. He couldn’t believe how selfless a person he’d met tonight. “He sacrificed his happiness for his family, there is nothing more noble than that,” he stated.

Clary nodded, “He’s the best person I know. And I think Jace and Izzy get frustrated because they can see him slipping away more and more each year. Jace gets upset because he can see how much of a father Alec is becoming to Max. Jace just wishes that Alec could think more of himself sometimes. He feels guilty about how things have turned out.”

Clary wiped a stray tear from her cheek, “When Jace first left for college, he said they’d made a plan for Alec and Max to come to the city every few weeks for the whole weekend and now I think it’s been over a year and a half since they actually have come. Max is all about his baseball team and Alec can’t even take a day off of work without his own father threatening to fire him. Ugh… I hate Robert Lightwood, I swear he even knows why Alec stayed home with Max and he’s rubbing it in his face, he uses it to his advantage so that Alec can do all the work.”

Magnus understood how their plan seemed to go awry. If Mr. Lightwood was as cunning as Clary said then he no doubt would be using his son to his advantage. He wished he could offer a solution to the problem but this was clearly not easy to fix.

Max Lightwood had told him that he still had two years of high school left, which meant that Alec would have to bear the heaviness of this responsibility for quite a long time. Alec deserved to follow his ambitions just as the rest of them did. Magnus suddenly felt guilty for all his complaining in regards to his sketching, at least he was able to pursue fashion. He couldn’t imagine being stuck in his home town as he was. 


End file.
